Fairness, Trust, and Security in Online Dispute Resolution

The past fifteen years have witnessed immense growth in the application of technology in the field of conflict resolution. One area of particular interest is the growth of the practice and study of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), which has its roots in the worlds of technology and of Alternative Dispute Resolution. As the field of ODR develops, its terminology and conceptual frameworks require exploration and clarification, with special care taken to convey shared meaning between participants coming from the two contributing worlds noted above. In this article, we introduce three conceptual areas – key concepts in ODR – that would benefit from such clarification: trust, fairness, and security. We discuss multiple connotations and uses of each term, and explain why developing a clearer understanding of each would benefit the ODR field.